Theatre Department to Host Festival of Short Plays
Events and Lectures

The Franklin College Theatre Department will present a collection of four short plays at 8 p.m. beginning Thursday, April 27 through Saturday, April 29 and at 2 p.m. on Sunday, April 30. The performances will be in Théâtre Margot in the Johnson Center for Fine Arts, located at the corner of Branigin Blvd., and Grizzly Drive.

Students enrolled in the Directing II class will take center stage for their final class project as directors and actors. This promises to be an eclectic mix of styles and genres with something to entertain everyone. Audience discretion is advised.

The four short plays include: The Chocolate Affair, After the Beep, I’m Not Stupid and Matterhorn.

The Chocolate Affair – This short play was written by Stephanie Alison Walker and is being directed by Franklin College senior Marian Case of Pendleton. Beverly checks herself into a seedy motel room to be alone with a plastic pumpkin filled with Halloween candy in this comedy about body image, motherhood and one woman trying desperately to have it all.

Cast members include:

Jadyn List, of Newburgh, as Beverly.

Laura Sickmeier, of Greenwood, as Mr. Goodbar.

Ken Casey, of Martinsville, as M&M.

After the Beep – This short play was written by Seth Kramer and will be directed by Franklin College student Nate Irskens of Greenwood. Lynn and Scott have been together for a lot of years. When Bianca, a strange woman from Scott’s past, leaves a message on the answering machine, what follows is a brutal argument full of old suspicions and nagging fears.

Cast members include:

Grace Allen, of Greenwood, as Lynn.

Tyler Lehner, of Greenwood, as Scott.

Laura Sickmeier, of Greenwood, as Bianca.

I’m Not Stupid – This short play was written by David E. Rodriguez and will be directed by Franklin College senior Spencer Downhour of Franklin. Roger wants a hammer to build a clubhouse. How his unstable mother handles the situation is brought out in her sessions with a psychiatrist assigned to investigate the troubled family dynamic in this play that explores a brand of motherhood that leads to bizarre, fatal consequences.

Cast members include:

Tyler Lehner, of Greenwood, as Roger

Elliot McKinley, of Salem, as Dr. Green.

Marian Case, of Pendleton, as Ma.

Matterhorn – This short play was written by Rich Orloff and will be directed by Franklin College student Ken Casey of Martinsville. Stuck in a never-ending line at Disneyland, a husband and wife are just on the verge of killing each other – until they devise a novel solution to their marital woes.

Cast members include:

Elliot McKinley, of Salem, as Jerry.

Grace Allen, of Greenwood, as Arleen.

Crew members for the performances include:

Lance Fennell, of Monrovia, as production stage manager and light board operator.

Olivia Fannin, of Indianapolis, as running crew.

Tickets are free for students, faculty and staff with a valid Franklin College ID, $8 for students and seniors (55 and older) and $12 general admission. Reservations can be made by email at tickets@FranklinCollege.edu or by phone at (317) 738-8029 or (800) 852-0232, ext. 8029. Please claim reservations ten minutes before the performance. The box office opens one hour before the performance.

For more information, contact the Franklin College Office of Communications at (317) 738-8185.

POSTED Apr 4, 2023